Definition

Adjective: - Harmful to the ear: Describes a substance, typically a drug or chemical, that is poisonous or damaging to the structures of the inner ear responsible for hearing and balance, or to the auditory nerve connecting the ear to the brain.

Usage

The adjective "ototoxic" is used almost exclusively in medical, pharmacological, and audiological contexts. It modifies nouns like drugs, agents, effects, medications, or antibiotics to warn of their potential side effects on hearing or balance. - It is typically used attributively (before a noun). - It describes a property or potential risk, not an action.

Examples

• The physician warned that the prescribed antibiotic was ototoxic and could cause permanent hearing loss.
• Patients receiving chemotherapy are monitored for ototoxic effects.
• This class of drugs is known to be ototoxic.
• Ototoxic damage can result in tinnitus and vertigo.

Advanced Usage

• "demonstrate ototoxicity": This noun form ("ototoxicity") refers to the quality or condition of being ototoxic.
  • The study aimed to measure the drug's potential for ototoxicity.
• "ototoxic reaction": A specific adverse event affecting the ear caused by an external agent.
  • The patient's sudden hearing loss was diagnosed as an ototoxic reaction to the medication.

Variants and Related Words

• Ototoxicity (noun): The quality of being ototoxic; the capacity to cause ear damage.
  • The main concern with this treatment is its ototoxicity.
• Nephrotoxic (adjective): A related medical term meaning toxic to the kidneys, often used in similar contexts concerning drug side effects.
• Vestibulotoxic (adjective): Specifically toxic to the vestibular system, which controls balance. This is a more specific type of ototoxic effect.

Synonyms

• Cochleotoxic: Specifically poisonous to the cochlea (the hearing organ). (More specialized)
• Vestibulotoxic: Specifically poisonous to the vestibular system. (More specialized)
• Auditotoxic: A less common synonym meaning toxic to hearing.

Antonyms

• Otoprotective: Serving to protect the ear from damage.
  • Researchers are looking for otoprotective agents to counteract ototoxic drugs.

Adjective

1. toxic to the organs of hearing or balance or to the auditory nerve
   • some drugs are ototoxic